Ben Affleck will star in Disney's new movie about Houdini, The Happy Life of Houdini, but he's not going to star in the famous magician.
Based on William Kalush and Larry Sloeman's book The Secret Life of Houdini: The Birth of America's First Superhero, a new film that will document the life and times of the acclaimed magician and escape artist, Houdini died in 1926 at the age of 52. The project has been in development for at least 4 years and will be directed by Dan Trachtenberg, director of 10 Clover Road.
Noah Oppenheim, the screenwriter of "First Lady," wrote the screenplay for the film, which tells the story of The Master of Escape Art, Houdini, who went from juggler to escape. The original book offers a peculiar idea that Houdini was murdered by a psychic medium. Eighty-one years later (2007), Houdini's nephew Harding wanted to exhum his body and have his body autopsed by a group of top criminal investigators to determine whether he had been hated for uncovering some of the lies of so-called psychics and poisoned.
Throughout his career, Houdini has often devoted himself to debunking psychic claims and scams. He had studied the occult and was also an adventurer, so the film wasn't just about magic.
Houdini also left the final blow to the psychic mediums he hated after his death.
Before dying, he and his wife, Beth Houdini, agreed to contact her from another world if possible after death and convey a secret message that had been communicated earlier. For the next ten years, every year on Halloween eve, Beth would hold a séance to test it. In 1936, after the last unsuccessful séance, she extinguished a candle next to Houdini's photograph that had remained burning since her death. Later (1943) she said: "Ten years of waiting is long enough for anyone".
While the film has been slow to progress since its announcement, Disney appears to have made at least one major move, and Affleck has now officially joined. Still, Affleck is not expected to play the lead role. Affleck would play a supporting role, and Disney might have Affleck play a more sinister role, as a psychic or sectal agent, and most likely someone who was active in the same circle as Houdini.
Over the years, the famous magician has hardly appeared on the big screen, although he is one of the most famous and widely known magicians of all time. Born in Hungary in 1874 as Eric Waitz, he did not begin using the stage name "Harry Houdini" until a few years later, when he became a professional magician in the United States. Houdini is known for his amazing escape performances, including handcuffs, restraint suits and escape from the belly of a whale that rushed ashore in Boston. He even starred in several silent films with fame and served as a screenwriter for several.
Affleck recently confirmed to star in George Clooney's next film, Gentle Bar, and he will also direct the film The Grand Farewell.